Distributed detection with data fusion for malfunction detection and isolation in fault tolerant flight control computers

It is anticipated that electromagnetic field disturbances will be increasingly problematic for future aircraft control systems, which will perform numerous flight-critical functions. Shielding within the digital systems cannot eliminate these common-cause disturbances, and redundancy is ineffective in accommodating them. This paper presents a distributed detection scheme with data fusion for monitoring the function of redundant processing channels of a flight critical control system during operation. The detection scheme is demonstrated using data collected during closed-loop High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) system effects experiments on a quad-redundant Flight Control Computer (FCC), which is executing Autoland control laws under flight conditions with heavy clear air turbulence. The performance of the monitoring system is assessed. The detection scheme presented in this paper can also be applied to redundancy management in fault tolerant systems.